Main Stateroom reading lights and outlet

We have a Mainship 400. The reading lights in the main stateroom stopped working as did the outlet on the shelf on the port side. The ceiling lights and the starboard side outlet still work as does everything in the second stateroom. I have tried to trace the wiring to the reading lights but can't figure it out. Nothing seems to go from the outlet in the shelf as I have looked at that wiring. Is there a fuse somewhere that may have blown? Any help is appreciated.

Are the lights 12 volt? Generally the term “outlet” implies 120 volt. They would not be related…

These two problems are probably unrelated as the reading lights are 12V.

There is a light switch next to the closet on the starboard side, and I think that switch will turn the reading lights on or off. Check to see if you accidentally hit that switch.

For the outlet, on my 400 it is tied in with the GFI in the guest stateroom. If the GFI tripped, the outlet would go dead. I'd check the GFI, maybe even replace it, not too expensive, or just check behind it to make sure the wire connections are good.

garmstro55 said:

These two problems are probably unrelated as the reading lights are 12V.

There is a light switch next to the closet on the starboard side, and I think that switch will turn the reading lights on or off. Check to see if you accidentally hit that switch.

For the outlet, on my 400 it is tied in with the GFI in the guest stateroom. If the GFI tripped, the outlet would go dead. I'd check the GFI, maybe even replace it, not too expensive, or just check behind it to make sure the wire connections are good.

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Exactly this.



I've had both issues on my boat and dealt with them as Gary suggests. The guest stateroom GFI trips pretty easily, and it also takes out the outlet under the table.


Doug

With new GFCI receptacles, they give you little stickers to affix to any plug affected by the GFCI, thereby reminding you to check this first when the plug stops working.

I guess I am a foolish old man once again.
On a boat my size, there are very few 120vt outlets. Some were white the rest, black. When I replaced the white outlets, I replaced them with black GFCI outlets. Now I have multiple GFCI protected outlets on the same circuit. Cant hurt to be double protected and the price difference was minimal. SHRUG

there is a GFI on one of the outlets on each side of the boat. if your 400 is similar to our 390 some of the overhead lights are 12 volt and some are 110.
If the GFI pops your 110v lights wont work
John

OldDan1943 said:

Now I have multiple GFCI protected outlets on the same circuit. Cant hurt to be double protected and the price difference was minimal. SHRUG

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I know what you meant OldDan43, so this is just for any reader or Googler who might be unfamiliar with GFCIs, not you

One likely doesn't actually want "double protection" (or triple, or quadruple, or...), e.g. daisy-chaining GFCI outlet via the downstream terminals on a GFCI outlet. I haven't actually tried this at home, but if one trips, they are all likely to trip, which would be a pain to reset -- and could make isolating the source of the problem more work.

Instead, if one wants to feed multiple GGCIs off of the same circuit, one just taps the wire to each one along the way, nitbuaing the downstream connectors.

Personally, my general rule is not to use the downstream terminals on GFCIs. I like the convenience of having the reset nearby inbthe event of a fault and also of having only the faulting outlet disabled by the fault.

But, I do use the downstream connector when I can't or don't want to install a GFCI outlet, but want GFVI protection. For example, I have a power bar serving the galley bar seats. It isn't GFCI, but I wanted it protected. My choices were to run it downstream from an existing galley GFCI or to add a stand-alone no-outlet. I went with the former, even though it adenovirus the trip-domain larger, because I didn't want to waste the physical space on a stand-alone GFCI device.